DAVIDSON – The North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association will honor the Town of Davidson with three awards at the group’s annual conference in October.

The professional planning group has awarded the town:

• A 2011 North Carolina Marvin Collins Planning Award in the Implementation/Small Community category for development of the Circles at 30 area, at the town’s interchange with Interstate 77. The development plans integrated hotels, residential neighborhoods, a grocery store, a private and charter school, a convenience market, several public parks, retail shopping and professional office centers.

• Honorable mention in the Comprehensive Planning/Small Community category for the Comprehensive Plan, the town completed in 2010. The judges praised the town for getting more than 180 residents, staff, students, regional stakeholders and elected officials involved in writing the plan. The plan identified targets for future development as part of a “built-out” development horizon and set goals for a wide range of topics.

• A Marvin Collins Planning Award in the Special Theme/Community Development Award category for its affordable housing ordinance. According to the planning group, this award “recognizes communities and programs that exemplify outstanding planning and achievement in serving low-income neighborhoods and/or disadvantaged minority communities through the use of community development plans or projects.”

Davidson is one of three communities in North Carolina to require builder to designate a share of all residential development for affordable housing. Approved in 2001, Davidson’s ordinance “has created homes for the low to moderate-income workforce throughout the Davidson planning jurisdiction,” according to a town news release.

“Success doesn’t happen overnight,” Davidson Planning Manager Lauren Blackburn said in the news release. “In most cases, planning for these developments and policies began over 10 years ago.”

Town officials will accept the awards during the North Carolina Annual Planning Conference awards luncheon Oct. 6 at the Hilton Charlotte City Center. Find more information online at www.nc-apa.org.